Louisiana Plantations & Historic Homes
Published Books
Listed below are major reference works and other collections of historical sketches on Louisiana plantations and historic homes. Many of the most famous sites have complete books written on them; check the catalog to see if such works exist. Another good place to look for information on historic sites is city and parish histories. For further assistance, please contact or visit Special Collections.
Arrigo, Joseph A. Louisiana's Plantation Homes: The Grace and Grandeur. 1991.
Butler, Anne. The Pelican Guide to Plantation Homes of Louisiana. 2009.
Caire, Ronny. South Louisiana Ante-Bellum Plantation Homes. 1968.
Cooper, J. Wesley, Louisiana: A Treasure of Plantation Homes. 1961.
Dean, Preston Allen "Pap." Central Louisiana Historical Homesteads and the Families who've Touched Them. 1985.
DeHart, Jess. Plantations of Louisiana. 1982.
Gleason, David King. Plantation Homes of Louisiana and the Natchez Area. 1982.
Gleason, David King. Plantation Homes of Louisiana. 1977.
Gleason, David King. Plantation Homes of South Louisiana. 1976.
Gleason, David King. Louisiana Plantation Homes: A Portfolio. 1968.
Hays, Mrs. Drew Nelson. Louisiana: Sketches of Historical Homes and Sights. 1965.
Kane, Harnett T. Plantation Parade: The Grand Manner in Louisiana. 1945.
Laughlin, Clarence. Ghosts along the Mississippi. 1948.
Louisiana Department of Commerce and Industry. Louisiana Plantation Homes. 1966.
Malone, Lee and Paul. Louisiana Plantation Homes: A Return to Splendor. 2008.
Malone, Lee. The Majesty of the River Road. 2007.
Overdyke, W. Darrell. Louisiana Plantation Homes, Colonial and Antebellum. 1981.
Reeves, Miriam G. The Felicianas of Louisiana. 1967.
Seebold, Herman de Bachellé. Old Louisiana Plantation Homes and Family Trees. 1941, new ed., 2004.
Smith, Joseph Frazer. White Pillars: The Early Life and Architecture of the Lower Mississippi Valley Country. 1941.
Spratling, William. Old Plantation Houses in Louisiana. 1927.
Stahls, Paul F. Plantation Homes of the Lafourche Country. 1976.
Stahls, Paul F. Plantation Homes of the Teche Country. 1979.
Stuart, Jozefa. Great Southern Mansions. 1977.
Vals-Denuzière, Jacqueline. Homes of the Planters. 1984.
Maps showing location of plantations (selected)
Durel, C. J. Plantation Homes on the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. 1966.
La Tourrette, John. La Tourrette's Reference Map of the State of Louisiana. 1845. First floor exhibit gallery.
La Tourrette, John. La Tourrette's Reference Map of the State of Louisiana. 1848.
Persac, Marie Adrien. Norman's Chart of the Lower Mississippi River. 1858. Reprint (1967) on wall in Reading Room.
Pike, Charles J. Coast-Directory. 1847.
Powell, Andrew J. Map of the Parishes of Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge and Iberville, including Parts of the Parishes of St. Martins and Ascension, Louisiana. 1859.
Ockerson, John Augustus. The Mississippi River from St. Louis to the Sea. 1892.
Manuscripts & Photographs
To search for archival material on a specific planter or plantation, do an advanced search in the LSU Libraries' catalog, select "Archives & Manuscripts" under catalog format, and enter a specific term.
For a general overview of available manuscript resources, see the separate Special Collections guide to "Manuscript Resources on Plantation Society and Economy."
Entering the term "photographs" in the search box on the above-listed guide will locate the major manuscript collections containing photographs. Another good place to search is the Louisiana Digital Library, which contains photographs of plantations from the LSU Libraries' Special Collections as well as other archival repositories throughout the state. For assistance, please contact or visit the library.